The Church of Christ believes that you have to get baptized in water for salvation. Now we deny that; we don’t believe that you have to get water baptized for salvation.
Dr. Gene Kim has talked to some Church of Christ people, also called Campbellites, founded by Alexander Campbell from the South (US). They like to use the tactic that, well, you’re from a Baptist Church and you guys are hypocritical for being Baptist when you don’t believe in baptism for salvation. We’re called Baptists because we got the right baptism while you guys got the wrong baptism—just say that next time to them. By the way, if they stress so much on baptism, why don’t they call themselves Baptists?
Well, anyways, aside from that, let’s look at John 3: 3. This is their verse to prove water baptism for salvation.
John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
So we believe in being born again for salvation.
John 3:4 “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”
So this is how they explain born again for salvation.
John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
So notice their tactic in verse 5: it seems to show that to be born again, you have to be water baptized because it says born of water and of the Spirit. It is very easy to debunk this because the word baptized is not anywhere in the verse. It does not say baptized by water, it says born of water.
John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
When you show them that verse, they’re going to jump to verses 4 through 5: now you have to get water baptism. What do we say about a pregnant woman when she gives birth to a child? Her water broke.
Now some of them are very dishonest, some Catholic apologists and some Church of Christ apologists. That’s how they would argue this is referring to some plasma pregnancy or some medical terminology, and that they were born from that to be saved. But we didn’t say plasma, medical terminology, and so and so; we just simply said water, and that’s a common term that is used.
They’re going to focus on the plasma pregnancy stuff like that, not on the water. But Jesus, when He’s talking about being born of water, He’s not thinking so complicated medical terminologies here; He’s thinking simply right here: just water.
Why did Jesus say that then? “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” after He said you’re born from water and of the Spirit. So this proves that this is referring not to water baptism, but a fleshy birth.
Water does not refer to water baptism
Well, because it says water, so now here’s the thing: if you see anywhere where it mentions water in relation to salvation, they will automatically assume that’s referring to water baptism.
Genesis 7: 19- 22: “And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.”
Let’s skip to the last part of verse 23:
“…and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”
Genesis 7:24 “And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.”
Did all the world and all the animals who were in those waters got baptized for salvation? No, that’s why you got to look at the context of what water is.
All right, let’s also look at John chapter 3 again.
John 3:14-15: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Okay, Dr. Gene Kim’s question is this: if you think that this is referring to baptism for salvation,why doesn’t it say baptism throughout that entire chapter? That whole chapter of Jesus’ discussion with them shows no water baptism whatsoever. But it mentions about believing, though. So what’s stronger here for born again: is it by believing or baptism? Dr. Gene Kim means Jesus mentioned believing on Christ several times here.
Here’s their other favorite verse: they confuse water with baptism and baptism with water, so that’s their tactic. Can’t confuse the two terms together.
Romans 6:3-4: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
So notice right here from verses—you can keep reading down 5 and 6—it seems to show that because baptism was mentioned here, we got saved by baptism.
Now here’s the problem again: “water” isn’t anywhere in this chapter. So, they automatically confuse water with baptism and baptism with water.
Baptism doesn’t automatically mean water
Baptism is simply fire, spirit, suffering. There’s a baptism of suffering; didn’t you know that? Notice that John the Baptist—and he should know about baptism—he even realized there was a different baptism; not all of it is just water.
Mark 1:8: “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”
And he’s right, too: fire as well. If you look at Matthew chapter 3, Jesus baptized with fire, which actually means hell.
Who’s involved in this baptism?
Romans 6:3 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
When you got saved, didn’t the Holy Ghost go inside you and immerse you? That’s the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Baptised into one Spirit
They confuse water with baptism and baptism with water. So whenever you see a verse that says baptized, whenever you see a verse that mentions water, don’t let that fool you. That’s a technique that you can use when Church of Christ pulls up verses on you that mention water or baptism; keep that in mind.
1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:27: “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
Jesus will baptize you with what? Holy Ghost into the body of Christ. That’s how we can debunk water baptism for salvation.